Kentucky Court Rules That Christian Printer Does Not Have To Make Pro-Homosexual T-shirts

A Kentucky appeals court has upheld the conscience rights of a Christian printer who refused to make shirts promoting a gay-pride festival.

In the 2-1 decision handed down Friday, Chief Judge Joy A. Kramer said she found no evidence that the store owner 渞efused any individual the full and equal enjoyment of goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, and accommodations it offered to everyone else because the individual in question had a specific sexual orientation or gender identity.?/p>

Blaine Adamson is the owner of Hands On Originals, a Christian company that prints messages on T-shirts, pens, mugs and other accessories.

He declined in 2012 to create shirts promoting the Lexington Pride Festival, an event put on by the Gay and Lesbian Services Organization, because he said the message on the shirts ran contrary to his beliefs.

Although Mr. Adamson referred the gay-rights group to another printing company that would fulfill the order, the LGBT advocates filed a complaint with the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Human Rights Commission arguing they had been discriminated against.

In 2014, the agency ordered Mr. Adamson to make the shirts.

Jim Campbell, senior counsel for the Alliance Defending Freedom, which filed the lawsuit on behalf of Mr. Adamson, praised Friday ruling as a win for freedom of speech and religion.